Aquifer replenishment system

Abstract

A concrete structure for replenishing an aquifer and a method for constructing the same is provided. The structure is comprised of a pavement layer with surface drains that extend through the pavement layer and into an aggregate leach field. The leach field includes leach lines spanning the leach field. An aggregate drain extends from the leach field into a sand lens. Precipitation which falls upon the structure thus flows through the surface drain, absorbed into the aggregate leach field, and transported to the aggregate drains by way of aggregate leach lines. The water is then absorbed into the sand lens, ultimately replenishing the aquifer. Existing conventional pavement structures are retrofitted by the removal of a section of the pavement, and filling the same with porous concrete.

1. An aquifer replenishing gutter for filtering liquid toward an aquifer, the gutter configured for use with an elevated curb and a pavement layer having an exposed surface, the gutter comprising:
 a porous concrete section disposable between the pavement layer and the elevated curb, the porous concrete section having:
 an exposed top surface and an opposing bottom surface, the exposed top surface being in co-planar relationship with said exposed surface of the pavement layer; 
 
 an aggregate base including a rock filled bore, the aggregate base being disposable between the bottom surface of the porous concrete layer and the aquifer to allow liquid to drain from the pavement layer to the aquifer via the porous concrete section and the aggregate base; and 
 a pair of cut off walls disposed on opposing lateral sides of the porous concrete section and extending from the porous concrete section toward the aquifer to laterally support to the porous concrete section. 
 
     
     
       2. The aquifer replenishing gutter set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate base includes a top surface abutting said bottom surface of said porous concrete section. 
     
     
       3. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 1  wherein the porous concrete section includes a first side surface disposable in abutting relation with said elevated curb, and a second side surface disposable in abutting relation with said pavement layer. 
     
     
       4. An aquifer replenishing gutter for filtering liquid toward an aquifer, the gutter configured for use with a pavement layer having an exposed surface, the gutter comprising:
 an elevated curb; 
 a porous concrete section disposable between the pavement layer and the elevated curb; and 
 an aggregate base including a rock filled bore, the aggregate base being disposable between the porous concrete layer and the aquifer to allow liquid to drain from the pavement layer to the aquifer via the porous concrete layer and the aggregate base. 
 
     
     
       5. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 4 , wherein the aggregate base defines a top surface abutting said bottom surface of said porous concrete section. 
     
     
       6. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 4 , further comprising a pair of cut off walls disposed on opposing lateral sides of the porous concrete section and extending from the porous concrete section toward the aquifer to laterally support the porous concrete section. 
     
     
       7. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 4  wherein the porous concrete section is abutting the elevated curb. 
     
     
       8. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 4  wherein the porous concrete section includes a first side surface abutting said elevated curb, and a second side surface disposable in abutting relation with said pavement layer. 
     
     
       9. An aquifer replenishing gutter for filtering liquid toward an aquifer, the gutter comprising:
 a pavement layer defining an exposed surface; 
 an elevated curb disposed in spaced relation to the pavement layer; 
 a porous concrete section disposed between the pavement layer and the elevated curb; and 
 an aggregate base including a rock filled bore, the aggregate base being disposable between the porous concrete section and the aquifer to allow liquid to drain from the pavement layer to the aquifer via the porous concrete section and the aggregate base. 
 
     
     
       10. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 9 , wherein the aggregate base defines a top surface abutting said bottom surface of said porous concrete section. 
     
     
       11. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 9 , further comprising a pair of cut off walls disposed on opposing lateral sides of the porous concrete section and extending from the porous concrete section toward the aquifer to laterally support to the porous concrete section. 
     
     
       12. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 9 , wherein the porous concrete section defines an exposed surface in co-planar relationship to the exposed surface of the pavement layer. 
     
     
       13. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 9  wherein the porous concrete section is abutting the pavement layer. 
     
     
       14. The aquifer replenishing gutter  9  wherein the porous concrete section is abutting the elevated curb. 
     
     
       15. The aquifer replenishing gutter of  claim 14  wherein the porous concrete section is abutting the pavement layer.